Get Out Your Hankies: The Memorial That Heath Left For Matilda
Damn it if this didn’t cause the barely-contained dam of tears to burst: Heath Ledger left a little footprint memorial in Brooklyn for daughter Matilda.
People magazine spoke to a neighbor who was familiar with the “family secret”:
Roger Lang, who lived across the street from Ledger and Michelle Williams during the then-couple’s time in Brooklyn,
tells PEOPLE it was Ledger who put the markings in wet cement near the
fire hydrant in front of their house. “The Matilda thing in the
sidewalk with the footprints, he did that about two years ago,” Lang
says. “It was a secret. It was a fun thing. He did it as a surprise for
his family.”
The 2-year-old’s name is perpendicular
to the word HUGO, which is the name of a neighbor’s dog. On Wednesday
some carnations wrapped in plastic were placed near the spot.
Adds Lang: “He was full of life. He’d call my father Matey.
‘Hi Matey.’ Because he was in World War II. They’re great people and
it’s very tragic. They loved Brooklyn. They wanted to be a part of the
neighborhood.”
I’ve got no words for this. No adequate words, anyway.
RIP Heath…